The Independent View: NYC Voters Registering for 2013 Mayor Race

New York is a closed primary state. Anyone who wants to register or switch parties to vote in next year's primary needs to do so by Friday. New Yorkers registered to vote can cast a ballot in the city's general election next year but only voters registered with a party can vote in party primaries.

Other states are much more flexible than New York when it comes to changing party affiliation. In New Jersey, for example, first-time primary voters can register with a new party on primary day, right before they vote.

"Elections should be structured to encourage as many voters to participate as possible," said Dick Dadey of Citizens Union. "By requiring you to declare your party affiliation a year from the election you want to participate in, you may be disenfranchising people from voting in the most consequential election in the city."

A spokesman for the state Board of Elections said the registration deadline has been in effect for at least 60 years. He said it is designed to keep voters from switching parties at the last minute to attempt to throw an election in their true party's favor.

Some New Yorkers who have never been registered as Democrats are suddenly joining the party. They have not undergone a political transformation. They say they are simply doing it because they want their vote to count in the 2013 political contests in New York City.

James Panero is a lifelong Republican. He even writes for a conservative magazine. But he is leaving his party to become a Democrat.

"My feeling is that if you're conservative, if you're a moderate, if you're any kind of voter in this city, you need to register now as a Democrat to vote in the 2013 primaries," he said.

Some New Yorkers feel that in order for their vote to really count locally, they need to participate in the Democratic primary. Many races, including the fight for City Hall, may be effectively decided before the general election.